WHAT: Shy Mirrors, Pree, Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps, Midstress, Anna Karina/Anna Karenina
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)
WHEN: Tuesday, April 3rd at 8 p.m.
This show has been dubbed the first “Fuck Fridays, it’s Tuesday” show. You get to see five bands for five bucks, and check out some Swedish rock while you’re at it with Shy Mirrors. Mixed with a couple of local punk bands and Pree from D.C., this one is worth it.
WHAT: Labirinto, Take Care, Goblin Colors
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)
WHEN: Thursday, April 5th at 10 p.m.
A lot of international flavor during the week in C-U as Brazil’s Labirinto post-rock invades Mike ‘N Molly’s. Take Care fittingly shares the bill and ex-Petunias project Goblin Colors rounds it out.
WHAT: Control, Bloody Knives, Dino Bravo, Hank
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)
WHEN: Friday, April 6th at 9 p.m.
Locals Dino Bravo and Hank are no stranger to playing downtown, as they have for the past few weekends. However, this is not to say they have worn out their welcome. They join Madison, Wisconsin’s “post-everything” Control and Bloody Knives, fittingly from the state where the Texas Chainsaw Massacre happened.
WHAT: The Dirty Feathers, Creepy Band, Sun 
Stereo
WHERE: Cowboy Monkey ($5)
WHEN: Friday, April 6th at 10 p.m.
The Dirty Feathers have been busy with a few shows in Edwardsville last week and playing April Fool’s in Chicago, so they are bringing it all home this week. We last saw these guys when they gave their hearts to White Mystery back around Valentine’s Day in this same venue. Chicago’s Creepy Band and locals Sun Stereo will get the party started.
EDITOR’S PICK: MURDER BY DEATH, NEW RUINS, GRANDKIDS
The Highdive ($12 advance/$14 door) – Saturday, April 7th at 7:30 p.m.
As EbertFest is approaching, it is pretty appropriate that a band named after a 1976 Roger Moore film rolls through town. Although Murder By Death calls Indiana home, they are no stranger to C-U. Having performed at Pygmalion multiple times (2008, 2006), they have stumbled back through to a very warm reception. The band actually played one of their very first shows way back in 2000 at Channing-Murray. They’ve been playing shows in Canada for the past few months, and we’re sure they will appreciate being back close to home.
It’s nice to see New Ruins on this bill, as they are probably the closest thing to a Murder By Death that C-U has, and it’s always nice to see the charming Grandkids on a bill, who haven’t played in town for a few months now. This show might be a bit earlier than you might like for a Saturday, but there’s no sense in missing any of these three.
WHAT: The Curses, Cliff & Disband, The Gavin Stolte Project
WHERE: Boomerang’s Bar ($3 suggested donation)
WHEN: Saturday, April 7th at 8 p.m.
In the most feel-good show of the week, Boomerangs Bar and Grill will help raise money for The Champaign-Urbana Autism Network’s Autism Walk with some pretty solid bands to help out the cause. The Curses are probably one of the most underrated bands in town, so if you can find at least $3 in your wallet and want to give to something that is worthwhile, this is it.
WHAT: Tim Fite, Finer Feelings
WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)
WHEN: Saturday, April 7th at 10 p.m.
Brooklyn’s multi-instrumentalist and genre-avoiding Tim Fite makes his way through C-U in support of his new record, Ain’t Ain’t Ain’t (appropriately released on ANTI- Records, same letters at least). Locals Finer Feelings join, as they have been getting more and more shows under their belt.
Listen: Tim Fite: “We Are All Teenagers”
WHAT: Beats Antique, Random Rub
WHERE: Canopy Club ($12 advance/$15 door)
WHEN: Monday, April 9th at 9 p.m.
In the midst of a tour that extends into the mid-summer months with music festivals lined up, Beats Antique will infuse its own beat into the Canopy Club Monday. I can’t say I’ve ever heard a group much like this one, so it could provide for some interesting entertainment on a Monday night.
Listen: Beats Antique: “Beauty Beats”